An East Ham pharmacist technician organised a free diabetes event to raise awareness about proper treatment in the wider community.

Prakash Solanky, who works in Boots on the East Ham High Street, ran a free open day for diabetes sufferers at Pilgrim’s Way Church Hall to raise awareness about diabetic help.

Visitor were able to get free health check from local nurses, talk to pharmacists and GPs, and receive free blood glucose machines.

Prakash said: “I’ve been wanting to organise something like this for a while because people don’t know what help it out there for them.

“Newham has the highest percentage of people in London with diabetes and we want to make people aware.

“What we’re finding is that a lot of people are coming to us not using their machines properly so they give the wrong readings to their doctors who prescribe them the wrong amount of insulin.

“So we want to teach people how to use their equipment properly and, this way, there will be less people ending up in hospital.”

Diabetes UK also took part, providing translators to help ethinic miniorities communicate their problems.